The Paranal-Armazones area

In the foreground of the image are the domes of the four giant 8.2-metre Unit Telescopes of the Very Large Telescope on Cerro Paranal, with the Residencia to the right, where the astronomers rest and eat. This photograph also shows the VST Survey Telescope to the left on the platform and the VISTA telescope on a peak further left.

The recently expanded area of the Paranal Observatory now also includes the Cerro Armazones peak towards the upper left corner of the image.

In the background we can see the snow-capped, 6720 meter-high volcano Llullaillaco, located 190 kilometres further east on the Argentinian border. This image is another testimony of the magnificent quality of the air and the ideal conditions for observing at this remote site.